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Debora Vaarandi

1916 – 2007

Estonian writer

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About Debora Vaarandi

Lived 1916 – 2007 (aged 90). Debora Vaarandi was an Estonian translator, poet, writer and journalist.

Debora Vaarandi (born Debora Trull; 1 October 1916 – 28 April 2007) was an Estonian writer, considered to be a leading literary figure in post–World War II Estonia. Many of her poems were set to music. Vaarandi was a recipient of the first Juhan Liiv Poetry Award, and was recognized with the Cultural Award of the Republic of Estonia for outstanding lifetime achievement.

Biography Debora Vaarandi was born in Võru on 1 October 1916 to Julianus and Tamara Trull (née Ella). She grew up on the island of Saaremaa. Vaarandi studied language and literature at the University of Tartu.

In 1936, she married Aadu Hint; the couple later divorced. She joined the Communist Party of Estonia in 1940. When the Germans invaded Estonia, she escaped to Russia, returning to Estonia in 1944. After 1977, she focused on translating works by Anna Akhmatova, Georg Trakl, and Edith Södergran into Estonian. She was awarded the Order of the White Rose of Finland for translating Finnish poetry into Estonian.

Awards and honors 1965, she received the first Juhan Liiv Poetry Award 2005, she was recognized with the Cultural Award of the Republic of Estonia for outstanding lifetime achievement.

Selected works Unistaja aknal ("The Dreamer at the Window") (1959) Tuule valgel ("In the Light of the Wind") (1977)

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Tartu
Awards
Honored Writer of the Estonian SSR; People's Writer of the Estonian SSR; Order of the White Star, 3rd Class; Juhan Liiv Poetry Award; Order of the October Revolution; Order of the White Rose of Finland

Family & relationships

Spouse
Aadu Hint
Spouse
Juhan Smuul

People in Debora Vaarandi's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Debora Vaarandi's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Debora Vaarandi?

Estonian writer (1916–2007)

When was Debora Vaarandi born?

Debora Vaarandi was born on 1 October 1916 in Võru.

When did Debora Vaarandi die?

Debora Vaarandi died on 28 April 2007 in Tallinn.

What was Debora Vaarandi's occupation?

Debora Vaarandi was a translator, poet, writer and journalist.

What nationality was Debora Vaarandi?

Debora Vaarandi was Estonian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Debora Vaarandi

· Wikidata: Q543862

· DBpedia: Debora Vaarandi

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Debora Vaarandi. https://biography.guide/debora-vaarandi/

MLA: "Debora Vaarandi." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/debora-vaarandi/.

Chicago: "Debora Vaarandi." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/debora-vaarandi/.

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